


ab aeterno

by cynphonium



Category: Code:Realize ～創世の姫君～ | Code: Realize - Guardian of Rebirth (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 20:03:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15032168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynphonium/pseuds/cynphonium
Summary: [ various! code: realize x reader ] "A smile of infinite irony, infinite sorrow, flitted and faded from her face. But she had communicated, shared her secret, passed her poison she would speak no more."





	1. Chapter 1

**act one. from the beginning**

❝ we know what we are, but know not what we may be ❞

[ idea factory ]

                      © cynphonium | 2018  


	2. 00; prologue

_Who am I?_

_What am I?_

_Where did I come from?_

_Where am I going?_

_Loved by no one._

_Needed by no one._

_If my existence holds no meaning,_ _then why am I here?_

~*~

"Cardia and [Name], my beloved daughters..." You can hear your father's voice echo through your mind, his voice reverberating like glistening church bells.

"History has already started to shift." He has a gentle, peaceful voice.

"When you awaken, humanity will have to take its first steps down a blessed path that ultimately leads to the truth..."

"You will lead the people from God's cradle to the expansive world of knowledge."

"Cardia, [Name]...it all begins with you."

"I love you so much, my dear daughters..." His hand touches your hair. His hands...Big, strong hands. His touch is so awfully comforting...

"But...because I love you, I must keep love from you. The two of you will be alone...forever."

"You must never know love." 

"You must live in isolation."

"The more you learn of love...the more you will be made to suffer."

"Because the two of you...are  _monsters_."

 ~*~

Before you know it, six years have passed in the blink of an eye. The year is now 1853, and your story has only just begun.

_'...Everything is normal. So... annoyingly normal. There's no sign that anyone will appear. They're really making me wait...At this rate...'_

Two men sit in silence, scouring their surroundings in hopes of finding something,  _anything_  to do until something interesting finally happens.

One of them breaks the silence with a lonesome voice. "London Bridge..."

"Would you kindly shut up?" The man takes the binoculars from his eyes to glare at the man slumped beside him.

"Ah, come on. I'm just trying to pass the time. Can't a man even hum to himself?"

"Listen, we need to stay on our toes! We're about to pull off the heist of the century!" He scolds his comrade, keeping a tight grip on the binoculars in his hands.

"You can't expect me to stay on my toes for five days straight!"

These men had been lying here in hiding on this bare plain for five days already. There were no signs of something coming anytime soon.

"Ugh, I miss London! The food, the drinks, the women...!" 

"Stop complaining. I didn't think we'd be waiting here for so long either."

"Don't you think it would be faster if we went out and stole it ourselves, instead of trying to snatch it during transport?"

"If that was possible, we'd have done that already. All we know is that it's in this area, so all we can do is go after them."

"And they're sure taking their sweet time, that's all I'm saying."

"Th-They'll come around eventually. Listen, a thief has to have—"

The other man casually waves his hand around, as if shooing away a bug. "Yeah, yeah, 'a plan and the patience to pull it off.' You've been saying that over and over for the past five days!" While sitting, he takes a small device from his pocket and holds it up. His companion looks at it doubtfully.

"This isn't going to...blow up like last time, is it?" 

His partner-in-crime laughs. "Haha, what? No way. I'm the world's greatest engineer. It's going to work fine. I guarantee it!"

"Yeah, well, your guarantee isn't worth—Hang on."

A group of soldiers appears in the binoculars' view. 

"They're here."

"Seriously?!"

The first man nods and continues to study the situation. Four military automobiles. One escort transport. About twenty soldiers, in total. And, just their luck, one of the vehicles is carrying hunting dogs. A man who appears to be the commander is in the lead automobile, and from the way he looks around, he won't be an easy target. It's a huge unit. It could be trouble. But...

"The report was wrong. They aren't from Twilight. Judging from their uniforms...Royal Family guards? What are they doing here...?"

"What's this? They're not what you were expecting? Maybe we should change the plan."

"...No, this actually works out better for us. Stick with the plan. Meet me at the rendezvous point." 

"Are you serious?! What happened to 'a plan and the patience to pull it off' and all that stuff?"

"That's not the full saying. '...and when those don't work, a thief has to be daring.'" He tosses the binocular aside and prepares to leave. 

"Oof...All right. Don't you go dying on me, alright? I still need your help with a number of things." 

The other man guffaws. "Who do you think you're talking to? It'll take more than this to kill me!"

With that, the man runs out into the darkness. It has taken forever to piece together the clues leading to this moment. He  _will_ reach his target. 

~*~

The moon is hidden behind some clouds. A large, bulky man observes the sky with a frown etched into his face. It was an unfortunate situation, as the darkness would make it more difficult to track down anything without any proper source of lighting. Suddenly, a soldier clad in a bright yellow uniform ran up to him.

"Captain Leonhardt! We have surrounded the mansion!" 

"Excellent work. Anyone attempting to leave the building is to be captured." He orders, nodding as the soldier acknowledges his words. The captain returns the soldier's parting salute, then turns to the abandoned-looking building that stands before him. Through a meticulous search, he finally located this mansion hidden in the forest. The initial reports have so far been correct. 

"So, this is where the monsters have made their den..." He is anything but eager to complete this mission. A search-and-capture operation such as this does not normally fall under his purview.

Rempart Leonhardt, Knight and Captain of the Royal Guard, furrows his brow. The men under his command are the Royal Guard, protectors of Queen Alexandrina Victoria, supreme ruler of Britain. Their current mission is to protect Queen Victoria as she travels to Wales for an inspection tour. However, he received a message through his Aether communication device. The communique came from Finis, the British military’s technical advisor, who holds authority in governmental research projects.

“Capture the monsters that hide within a mansion in Wales. They may already be dead. If so, quickly dispose of the bodies. However, if there is a chance that they still live, they must be captured at all costs.”

Shortly after this message was sent, a device was delivered that could supposedly detect the “monsters” along with instructions.

Leonhardt mulls over Finis’ words, staring at the device in his hands. This mission is probably of little importance to Finis. If it had been, Finis would have sent one of his pawns from his special task force, Twilight, to carry it out instead. There is just so little information. What are these “monsters”?

“’The creatures’ touch causes flesh to melt and fall away’…Is this meant to be taken literally?”

Perhaps it is some figure of speech? Leonhardt asked for clarification multiple times, but Finis never responded.

“There is no use in brooding over it.” He decides, putting the device away.

“Captain! We are prepared to enter.” A nearby soldier says, alerting his commander.

Leonhardt brings his thoughts back to the present and focuses on the task at hand.

“But, Captain…We’re only going to be facing a few targets, aren’t we? Do we really need all this security?” The soldier inquires.

“Idiot. We have no idea what we are facing, only that they are ‘monsters’. As the swords of Her Majesty, we cannot risk failure. We will take any and all necessary precautions and avoid any possible missteps. That is how a Knight prepares for battle.” The blonde-haired man clicks his tongue, watching the soldier apologize for his inquiries and sends him a salute. When he sees that his troops are prepared, Leonhardt gives a small nod.

“All men, remain at full alertness. Squad one leads the way inside, followed by squads two and three!” He shouts, facing his troops.

The doors are quickly kicked down, and soldiers and dogs rush into the dimly lit interior of the mansion.

“All clear over here!” A soldier shouts.

“This room is clear, too!” Another one mentions.

Leonhardt follows his men inside. The soldiers quickly spread out, and soon they have taken over the mansion. So far, no monsters have been found.

How long has this building stood empty? The walls are rotting in the humidity, and shafts of moonlight are filled with dust. The dogs, as if sensing an unseen danger, have not stopped growling the entire time.

As Leonhardt steps forward, the small device meant to detect the targets emits a sharp sound. The captain gathers a few of his soldiers and follows the device, which squeals as he stands in front of a particular door.

“They’re in here.” He announces, gesturing towards the large door in front of him.

He switches the device off and slips it into his pocket, then motions to the gun-wielding troops, who take positions nearby. He prepares himself to face the monsters that awaits them on the other side, then gives the signal to break down the door.

A skylight lets some light in, but the moon has ducked behind another cloud. However, Leonhardt can sense tension in the room. A strange atmosphere fills the air. The room is packed with dolls. In this dim light, the sheer number of them is unsettling rather than cute. The shadows of not one, but two people can be seen sitting in chairs in the center of the room. The shadows don’t move, even when the soldiers surround them, guns drawn.

Either these people are very brave, or, as the message suggested…

“…Are they dead?” Leonhardt prompted.

One of the soldiers approaches the chairs. The shadows slowly raise their heads. At that moment, the clouds part, letting light into the room.

Long, glossy hair. Melancholy eyes, slowly opening. Their flawless skin and symmetrical faces more than resemble a doll’s. Their identical clothing is strange, seeming more like decoration than fashion. Everything about them seem oddly mystical. The duo seems to be trapped in some kind of embrace, one of them protectively wrapping their arms around the other one in a type of motherly fashion.

One of the girls blinks once, slowly. Her blank [eye color] eyes take in her surroundings. At this simple action, Leonhardt hears himself and the others gasp involuntarily. These beautiful girls, lit from above by the soft moonlight, like ethereal creatures…could they truly be…

“…monsters?” The commander proposes, shell-shocked.

~*~

—You hear voices.

—The voices of many people.

—None of them are your father.

—Why do they wake you?

—You wanted to stay in your slumber forever.

—You wanted to stay within your dreams forever.

Your grip on Cardia tightens, glancing down at her drowsy aquamarine eyes as they mirror your own expression of confusion. You look around the room, taking in the sight of the men whispering among themselves, unfamiliar and nothing like your father.

“These are the monsters…?” A soldier pipes up.

—A monster…Yes. You are a monster.

“Captain! Are these girls what we were sent here to capture?!” Another soldier says.

“Y-Yes. It’s hard to believe…But this seems to be the case.” You glance towards one of the men, one clad in a different uniform from the others, indicating his rank among these strangers. He stands out among the rest of the men who gather around him, demonstrating his authority over the group.

“I was expecting something more…monstrous. But they’re just girls…”

“Idiot! Don’t let your guard down!” One of the soldiers shouts, smacking one of his comrades on the head.

“H-Hey, what’re you doing?! Calm down! Calm down!”

—You know that sound.

—A dog’s growl.

—You’ve heard it before…Dogs were chasing you. They were growling and barking. Trying to bite you. Trying to eat you, to kill you. They were so much faster than you…

The dogs…A large dog barks loudly and leaps towards you and Cardia. Out of instinct, you push Cardia away from you as the dog leaps onto you.

“Stop…” Cardia protests weakly, in a scratchy voice, but the dog has you pinned in your chair. Its teeth tear through your clothing and pierce the skin of your shoulder. You can feel your blood flow from the wound. In the next few moments…The dog yelps and jumps back.

“H-Hey, what’s wrong…?!” As one of the soldier begins to speak up, something happens.

The dog’s mouth begins to melt. Like mud, it begins to drip and fall away. The dog’s head and neck begin to crumble, and the oozing mass of flesh fizzles. The dog drops to the ground. It writhes in agony for a short time, then stops moving.

“Wh-What in God’s name…” One of the men stutters, sweat trailing down his back.

—Why? Because it touched your skin. Because of a tiny drop of your blood.

Just looking at the misshapen corpse makes you feel awful.

“It died…because of me…” You whimper softly.

The men around you tear their gaze free from the mess and back away, still surrounding you.

“Watch out! They really are monsters!” One of the soldiers squeaks out, panicking.

“Don’t move! Move and I’ll shoot!”

Fear and confusion, doubt and anxiety. It’s just as before. It’s very scary, but somewhat familiar…

“Surround them but keep your distance! They can kill you with a single touch!” Another one of the soldiers shouts.

“Compose yourselves, men. Never point your weapon at a lady!” One of the soldiers cries out.

“But, Captain! We have to do something to protect ourselves! You have to realize that…!” One of the men protests weakly.

“Of course, I understand. I saw what happened here with my own eyes. I doubt I’ll forget it anytime soon. But calm down and look. Neither of them look like they’ll try to resist.”

You remain seated in your chair, keeping a firm grip on Cardia, but you look up to meet the speaker’s eyes.

“Even with this…incident with the hound, she tried to stop it, but it was over too quickly. She didn’t intend for it to happen.”

“Yes…But…”

The leader approaches you and gently kneels down, putting his face at your level.

“Little Miss Monster, I would first like to apologize for the rudeness during our sudden visit. Would you please come with us?” His gentle but firm tone leaves no room for argument. After a brief pause, you nod.

Grabbing your sister’s hand, you both stand up without another word, and leave your room behind. Neither of you have any reason to resist.

~*~

How many years have you been staying here? The people are so tense. You see fear in their eyes. They see you as something foreign. You wonder if these people will kill you. If that is why they have come here—So be it. You had reservations, but you’re not scared.

—That poor dog. It shouldn’t have been that way. The dogs should have killed you. Your grip tightens around your sister’s hand, and you watch as Cardia gazes at you with a look of concern, returning the heartfelt gesture just as tightly.

Horseless carriages cut their way through the quiet of the night to meet you. They separate you from your sister, tying your hands up and load both of you into one of the carriages. You stare up through the window at the dark blue sky. You have no interest in where they are taking you, or what will happen to you there. So long as your beloved sister goes unharmed, there is nothing left for you to worry about.

—If you’re going to be killed…You feel oddly relieved to think this. But…But you have only one regret. Just one. You wish that you had…

—!

It all happens so suddenly. A crash and a bright flash cut through the night. The car ahead of yours flips over and rolls over on the road. The carriage you and your sister are inside of screeches to a halt before you hit the overturned car ahead. The car behind you tries to swerve, but tips over, crashing into you from behind. The stricken vehicles block the two of you inside.

“Wh-What is it?! Are we under attack?!” One of the soldiers cries out.

“The road exploded! I can’t see anyone outside!”

Everyone riding with you draws their guns and exits the car. You hurry over to Cardia, checking to see if she had gained any injuries from the crash. You sigh in relief, not finding a single scratch on her. After removing your own restraints, you help Cardia take off hers, whispering to her that she should stay close to you during this situation. She nods, placing your hand in hers as a sense of security.

“Whoever you are, know that you have just attacked the finest soldiers in Britain!” Leonhardt shouts, anger in his voice.

“I know exactly who you are!” A voice rings out in the night.

“Where is he? Where’s that voice coming from!?”

“Over there! On top of the ruins!”

You turn to see where the soldier is pointing. There is someone standing there!

You see a figure silhouetted by the moon. A thin body, wrapped in formal attire, with a top hat perched on his head. A walking stick is in his hand. He looks as if he is about to attend a masquerade ball. But…why?

Strangely, nothing about this scene strikes you as out of place.

“Fantastic work, gentlemen!” His cloak flutters in the wind as he stares down at all of you.

“Her Majesty must be proud that her honorable Royal Guard have come all this way to carry out a kidnapping!”

“How dare you impugn our name! Who are you!?” Leonhardt bellows with rage.

“The name is Arsène Lupin! No need to be shocked, sirs, I am merely your average dashing gentleman thief!”

_‘Lupin…’_

As the man standing above you shouts his name, you feel it carving into your heart.

“A thief? You lowlife scum, what do you want from us?!”

“Wait a tick…I’ve heard of this man. Some sort of burglar who works in Paris.”

“I am impressed! You’re quite right. My presence here is quite an honor. Tonight, you lucky gentlemen will witness my handiwork with your own eyes. What’s more…”

The man calling himself Lupin looks at you. You can feel his piercing gaze through his mask.

“Madamoiselle, can you and the young lady beside you hear me?”

You stare up at him silently, not sure how to respond to his question.

“I do have a confession to make. My purpose for being out here on this night…is _you,_ dear ladies. I have come to take you away.”

“Take us away…?” You repeat, standing a little closer to your sister.

“Now, don’t you fret, mademoiselle! I am here to rescue you from the hands of these dogs, and with great style! Watch!”

“You impudent cur! For a lowly robber to stand before the prestigious British Royal Guard is inexcusable! All of you, capture this man!” Leonhardt orders his men.

“Yes, sir! Everyone prepare to fire!”

“Right! Take aim!...Wait, no—!” But it’s too late, the soldiers have already begun to fire at the masked man.

The shadow dances jerkily as the soldiers open fire. Many of them must have hit. The shadow collapses to the ground. You find yourself holding your breath.

“Idiot! I said to capture him! Why would you give the order to fire?!”

“If he is who he said he is, then the one and only Arsène Lupin can never be captured, not even by the entire Paris police force! He had to be brought down, and quickly, or else he would have stolen the monsters!”

That man, Lupin…Did he really die just now?

“You cads…You…You’ve gone and done it. You’ve ended my brilliant life…Cut short…too soon…Ah…Ahah…Hahahaha!” He sits up, howling with laughter.

“What is happening here?! How is he even alive after being shot so many times?!

“Captain! L-Look out!”

Before the soldier can say more, Lupin’s body erupts into a bright light, blinding you with its glare. At the same time, a series of explosions rocks the ground. The carriages around you are in disarray.  

“What’s going on?! What kind of trick is this?!”

“Another attack! He must have an accomplice hiding somewhere!”

“Calm down! He likely planted these bombs before we got here! Don’t allow him to fool you! The thief is acting alone!” The captain’s clear voice and reason have no effect on the men. The smoke from the explosions does not clear, but continues to thicken around you. Soon, it is difficult to see.

“Where is he? Where did he go?!”

The soldiers shout in confusion. Suddenly a shadow appears before you and Cardia. You almost cry out, but the man raises a finger to his lips.

“Did I startle you? My apologies. Fear not, I’m not a ghost. That was just a trick.” He grins and holds out his hand.

“Take my hand, mademoiselles …Shall we make our great escape out into the night?”

“N-No…Don’t touch me, please…You’ll die from the poison…”

“I’m aware of it. But that only comes from skin contact, doesn’t it? And your gloves block the poison, do they not?”

“Yes, but…I—!” He suddenly pulls you by the arm.

“I will be all right. Trust me.” He pulls you to him with a compelling strength that his slender frame belied. For a moment, you fear he will melt, and you stare at him in terror. But…

“You see? I am unharmed.”

“Yes…” He looks back at you with an excited smile, a smile that seems totally unfitting for the current situation.

“Relax, my lady. A beautiful face like yours is wasted without a smile to go with it. Now, leave this all to me. There’s nothing to be afraid of. The great Arsène Lupin always gets what he wants, without fail.” As he talks, he pulls you and your sister straight beside him, and looks about all of you rather happily.

“Time for the final touch…”

“The what?” You have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about…

“Heh…What are you doing?! That scoundrel escaped to the south! All of you, grab your guns and go after him! Move, move!...See what I did there?” Amazingly, Lupin’s voice sounded exactly like that of the captain, Leonhardt.

“Yes, Captain! You heard him, men! South! Go, go, go!”

“You fools! That was a trick! Get back here!” The real captain shouts out through the smoke.

“Liar! How dare you impersonate me! _I’m_ the real captain, men! Don’t be fooled! That was Lupin talking just now!”

“I-I’m hearing double! Two Captain Leonhardts!”

“We can’t tell who’s who in this smoke! Everyone, just surround the monsters!”

By the time the soldiers began to gather around you, Lupin had quickly grabbed you and Cardia and ran out. You look back at the smoke still rising behind you as the three of you rush through the moonlit grass. The only thing you feel now is Lupin and Cardia’s arms tightly holding onto you through your clothing.

~*~

You don’t know how far you’ve ran. Before you knew it, all of you were on a track in the forest.

“All right, we should be safe now.” You look up at him, a bit doubtful of his words.

“Are you worried? Don’t be. I left some fake footprints behind. They’re probably completely lost right now. Another caper completed. Haha, I truly am a genius!” Lupin stretches and looks up at the night sky. You can’t help but follow his gaze alongside Cardia’s.

How long has it been since you last stared at the stars?

Not just through the window in your room, but in the fresh air. The wind brushes against your cheek…Even though you’ve seen this so many times to be bored with it, now it feels beautiful…

“Heh…” Lupin appears to be shaking as he focuses on the sky.

“What’s the matter?” Cardia asks, looking over at him.

“Ha…Haha…”

“Lupin…?” Befuddled by his reaction, you stop staring at the sky to see what was occurring.

“Ahahahaha! Mon dieu! Did you see their faces? Royal Guard, pfft! They are nothing compared to me! That captain was all, ‘You fools, he’s tricking you!’ Hahaha! They were completely baffled, don’t you—” Suddenly, he stops once he sees the downcast expressions on both of your faces.

“…What’s the matter? Are you hurt? No…Did something hit either of you as we were escaping? Where are you hurt? You don’t have to hide it from me.”

You shake your head. It’s not pain…It’s sadness. You were more than ready for death, but here you are.

You can’t touch anyone. You’re a monster who hurts anyone around you. Your life serves no use to anyone.

“Oh…So you’re not hurt? Good, good. Then…what is it? Tell me. What has you so despondent?”

“Who…are you?” You murmur, barely loud enough for him to hear you.

“Eh? Oh, pardon me. I do suppose I haven’t formally introduced myself.” Lupin bows, as if on stage.

“Allow me to present myself: Arsène Lupin. For reasons I cannot disclose, mademoiselles, I have come to steal your hearts.”

“Our…hearts?”

“Yes. Literally. But I won’t take it for free. It’s not my style to leave a beautiful young woman disappointed. In exchange for your hearts, I will grant each of you one wish.”

“A wish?” He nods, looking you in the eye.

“Indeed, mademoiselle. This humble thief promises you in all sincerity, that he will grant you a single wish.”

—A wish…

Your heart responds to his words. You have realized what you most desire. A wish, tucked deep within your heart, that you forbade yourself to ever think of. It bubbles up into your mind. You look towards your sister, deep into her aquamarine eyes, and nod.

Aside from each other, the two of you have never touched another person.

Not once, in your entire lives.

You resigned yourselves to a life like that, and came to terms with it long ago. As your father said, you would be alone with only each other for company. Forever. But…

“Protect her. Ensure that her wish is granted at all costs. That is all I ask for.” The words tumble out of your mouth before you can stop them. His eyes widen at your answer, but the meaning of your words are crystal clear to him, and he nods, turning towards your sister to hear her own desires.

“I want…to touch you. I want to feel you…Your warmth.” Cardia says, placing a gloved hand on her chest.

“A touch…I see, so you…” He stares at the both of you, seemingly deep in thought.

“Is it impossible…?” Cardia frowns, clenching the hem of her dress.

“No.” Lupin smiles confidently. He kneels down, takes the both of your hands, and smiles.

“Your wish is my command, mademoiselles. I, Arsène Lupin, do swear that I will grant you your desires.”

The moon shines brightly up above. Oh, how beautiful it is. How is it that you’ve never seen it this way before?


End file.
